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The main purpose of the Agreement provides for the exchange of veterinarians and other experts, such as laboratory diagnosticians and animal health technicians to tackle notifiable disease outbreaks in the six countries. It will also provide a platform to exchange information on new and developing diseases.

The Agreement was signed in Paris where the annual conference of the Office International des Epizooties - the international animal health body is currently being held.

Ben Bradshaw, the animal health Minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said:

"I am delighted that the UK has signed this Agreement. We already work very closely with the countries concerned and experienced veterinarians and other experts from other countries played an important role in our successful eradication of foot and mouth disease in 2001. Equally, we have invaluable veterinary expertise, technicians, laboratory diagnosticians and emergency managers in the UK that can be of real assistance to other countries.

The Agreement formalises the existing arrangements by ensuring that the signatory countries can rely on expert support should they face a major animal disease outbreak."

Source: Defra - 26th May 2004